Show case



May 14, 1935. J. E. MULLEN SHOW CASE Filed Aug. 14, 1933 I INVENTOR JohnA .Mu/Aer;

FIE E aur lf ATTORNEYS UNITED; STATES Patented May 14, 1935 PATENTOFFICEY SHOW CASE John E. Mullen, San Francisco, Ga lif., assignor ofone-half to H. L. Judell & Company San Francisco, Calif., a corporationof California Application August 14, 1933, Serial No. 684,986

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to show cases adapted particularly foruse in retail establishments for the display and sale of merchandise.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the abovecharacter which will be rugged in construction, and which will berelatively cheap to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a show case which willdisplay articles of merchandisc to best advantage and which can bereadily opened to permit access thereto.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription in which the preferred embodiments of the invention havebeen set forth in detail in conjunction with'the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, illustrating a show case in accordancewith the present invention. a

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken transversely of the device ofFig. 1.

The preferred embodiment of my show case illustrated in the drawingconsists of a receptacle l0, formed to include a bottom wall I I, andspaced upright end walls l2. In order to properly retain articles ofmerchandise within the case while the same is open, aback strip [3 hasbeen shown extending upwardly from the rear edge of the bottom wall II,and between the rear edges of the end walls l2. Likewise the forwardside of the case is provided with a wall I4, extending between theforward edges of the end walls I2, and which may be of glass retained bya suitable frame, to facilitate inspection of the enclosed merchandise.The upper edges l6 of the end walls l2 slope forwardly and downwardly.In other words these upper these edges are at an acute angle withrespect to the rear upright edges l 1.

Associated with the receptacle It described above, there is a closurestructure designated generally at l8. This structure consists of a coverportion l9, in conjunction with a back wall por-'- tion 7H. Coverportion I9 is preferably formed of glass retained by a frame asillustrated, while the back wall portion 2| can be formed of wood orlike material. Adjacent longitudinal edges of these portions are rigidlyconnected together at an acute angle, substantially equal to theanglebetween the upper and upright edges l6 and ll of the end walls l2. Toprovide greater rigidity and strength, the connection between the twoportions I9 and 2| can be reinforced by the end webs 22. In order toafiord the desired swinging movements between opened and closedpositions for the structure I8, the lower longitudinal edge of the backwall portion 2| is provided with a hinge connection 24. to the upperlongitudinal edge of the back strip l3. In connection with such swingingmovements it should be noted that the closure structure I8 is of alength slightly" less than the longitudinal distance between the innerfaces of the end walls l2. Therefore when the structure I8 is swung toclosed position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the upper face of thecover portion 19 is substantially flush with the upper edges it of theend walls I2, while the rear side of the back wall portion 21 issubstantially flush with the upright edges 11. V

In order to limit swinging movement to open position, I provide suitablemeans acting between the end walls E2 and the cover portion [9. Thussuitable stops such as screws 26 are fixed upon the inner sides of theend walls l2, adjacent the upper ends of the same, and these screws 26are 2 adapted toengage screws 21 or equivalent stops carried upon theunder side of the cover portion 19. These stops are preferably sopositioned that when the closure structure it is swung to open positionas shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the center of gravity is slightly tothe rear of the hinge connection 24, thus causing the cover structure toremain in such a position until pulled forwardly by manual force.

It is evident from the above that my show case is of extreme simplicity,and that it can be readily manufactured at low cost. At the same time itis rugged in construction, and is neat and at tractive in appearance.The closure structure 18 can be readily swung to open position, andWhile in' such position the interior of the case is convenientlyaccessible for the removal or insertion of articles of merchandise.

sponding to the angle of said end wall edges, said backwall section ofthe closure extending from the top edge of the fixed narrow back wallsection to the top of the receptacle, means for hingedlyconnecting thetwo sections of the back wall to permit the closure structure to swingfrom its closed position rearwardly into an open position and stop meansfor arresting opening swinging movement when the center of gravity ofthe closure structure is behind said hinge connection, the top wall ofthe closure structure being substantially horizontal when the same is infull open position.

2. A show case construction comprising a receptacle having fixed end,bottom and front walls and a'narrow back wall section closing a smallportion of the back of the receptacle which is less than the height ofthe front wall, the back and top edges of the end walls being arrangedat an acute angle relative to each other, a closure structure comprisinga top wall and a back wall section rigidly connected together at anangle'corresponding to the angle of said end wall edges,

said back wall section of the closure extending from the top edge of thefixed narrow back wall section to the top of the receptacle, means forhingedly connecting the two sections of the back wall to permit theclosure structure to swing from its closed position rearwardly into anopen position, and cooperating means carried by an end Wall and said topwall for limiting opening movement of the closure structure to preventthe top wall from'moving beyond an open position in which it occupies asubstantially horizontal plane, the center of gravity of the closurestructure when in said open position being behind said hinge connection.

' JOHN E. MULLEN.

